Athlon II X4 651 vs Pentium G4600

Athlon II X4 651 vs Pentium G4600 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 651

4 / 4

3,584

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium G4600

2 / 4

3,629

+1.3%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Athlon II X4 651 vs Pentium G4600 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon II X4 651 vs Pentium G4600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon II X4 651

2011

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,584 vs 3,629).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.0 vs 44.3 PassMark/$ ($92 MSRP vs $82 MSRP).
❌96.1% higher power demand at 100W vs 51W.

Pentium G4600

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $10 less on MSRP ($82 MSRP vs $92 MSRP).
✅Delivers 13.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.3 vs 39.0 PassMark/$ ($82 MSRP vs $92 MSRP).
✅Draws 51W instead of 100W, a 49W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G4600 better than Athlon II X4 651?

Yes. Pentium G4600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium G4600 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.6% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G4600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium G4600 is the better buy right now. Pentium G4600 comes in $10 cheaper on MSRP at $82 MSRP versus $92 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 13.6% better value on MSRP (44.3 vs 39.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium G4600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X4 651 vs Pentium G4600 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon II X4 651

The Athlon II X4 651 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,584 points. Launch price was $149.

Pentium G4600

The Pentium G4600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 51 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 3,629 points. Launch price was $87.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 651 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium G4600 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 651 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Athlon II X4 651 versus 3.6 GHz on the Pentium G4600 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Pentium G4600 (base: 3 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Athlon II X4 651 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium G4600 uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 651 scores 3,584 against the Pentium G4600's 3,629 — a 1.2% lead for the Pentium G4600. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 651 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G4600.

Feature	Athlon II X4 651	Pentium G4600
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3 GHz	3.6 GHz+20%
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.6 GHz+20%
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Llano (2011−2012)	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark	3,584	3,629+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 651 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G4600 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X4 651	Pentium G4600
Socket	FM1	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X4 651 was priced at $92, while the Pentium G4600 came in at $82. On launch pricing ($92 vs $82), Pentium G4600 was $10 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 651 delivers 39.0 pts/$ vs 44.3 pts/$ for the Pentium G4600 — making the Pentium G4600 the 12.7% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X4 651	Pentium G4600
MSRP	$92	$82-11%
Performance per Dollar	39.0	44.3+14%
Release Date	2011	2017

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